Saturday, August 11, 2012

Gifts From the Past

Changing classrooms this year has become a great opportunity to clean some things out of my bookcases and cabinets. Late Thursday afternoon, during a torrential rainstorm that delayed my going home, I was working on one shelf and discovered this old, worn copy of a Shakespeare anthology. Since it didn't appear to be anything unusual, and there are plenty of better copies around, I started to throw it away, but looked in the front cover and discovered . . .

this name. I have no idea how my mother-in-law's college Shakespeare textbook made it to my classroom, nor any idea how long it has been there. Perhaps I ended up with it after Mike's dad passed away, but even if that is the case, I can't imagine how it got taken to school.

There were about a dozen sheets of her class notes scattered throughout the book, written in fountain pen in her neat handwriting.

And even a note from what appeared to be a dorm supervisor, telling her to stop by the office for a message!

I never knew my mother-in-law, so finding a book like this is like receiving a gift from the past. I gave it to Mike tonight, and he was pleased to see it as well--especially because he likes Shakespeare and will appreciate having this copy of his mother's. It will not be returning to my classroom!

And this is a picture that ML found recently on someone's Facebook. Along with some others, she had prints made, and we framed them. I had never seen this picture of Mike's mom. She looks like maybe about college-age here - maybe a little older. It's been a touch to the heart to receive both connections to her in the same week.

4 comments:

What a neat find!! And just so you know, I was very embarrassed when I read through my last post and realized all of my typo's and misspellings. :) Looks like I need to take a little more time when I decide to post... :) So glad you could come by and see the house! Stop in next time you and mom go to lunch!Have a great day- love you!